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JOHN T. GARLICK, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

'51. I l' I t WATER AND FIRE PROOF SAFE.`

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,923, dated April 13, 1858.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. GARLICK, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an improved water and fireproof floating safe for the protection of money, papers, and other valuable articles from loss or damage from the effects of water or lire; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of t-he same,` reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in combining a series of air spaces (for the purpose of buoyancy) with a filling of nonconducting material (for the purpose of protection against fire) and with a door or doors closing water tight, in a safe, to contain money and other valuable articles, -to be placed and used on ships and other vessels; and also to the means employed to render the safe portable without detracting from its buoyant qualities.

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawings is a perspective view of the safe. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the loose bed or bottom, in and o-n which the safe stands. Fig. 3 is a horizontal, and Fig. 4 a vertical, sec tion, showing the construction and arrangement of the parts of the safe.

A is the outer case of the safe, made o-f sheet or plate iron of a suitable thickness and strength to withstand without injury the effects of concussion in case of a fall or other accident to which it might be exposed, and riveted or otherwise properly secured to- .gether at its joints and calked or otherwise properly made tight at its joints to make it perfectly watertight; B the door to the outer case, made of the same material as that, and filled between its inner and outer faces with some substance that is a poor conductor of heat and which will pre- Vent the heatin case the safe should be exposed to the action of lire-from communicat-ing to the articles placed within the inner receptacle of the safe; C a lillingof nonconducting material-the same as is placed in the cavity in the outer door-placed with- -in a metal casing of sufficient strength to keep it in position, and yet to be as light as possible in view of that requirement, for the purpose of having the weight of the whole safe kept within the smallest possible limits, which serves to prevent the heat, in case of exposure to lire as before noted,

from reaching the inner receptacle. A packing of sheet rubber, leather, prepared canvas or other suitable material is placed between the angling edgesr of the outer door B and the angling faces of the last named casing, and the door is attached to the casing by the spring hinges secured to me by Letters Patent dated December 23, 1856, so that when it is shut to place and secured in position by screws. or other appliances the joint` between it and vthe casing shall be perfectly watertight to prevent the admission of water to the interior of the safe in the case hereinafter named.

D is an interior receptacle or-safe-box in which the articles required to be kept fromv loss or damage are placed. It is made of lightplate or sheet iron, and is of such dimensions in relation to the casing which .contains thevfilling C as to leave a vacant space between them-.as is also the casing containing the filling in relation to the outer buoyant in case of need; E the door to the safe-box, filled in between its inner and outer casing with the same nonconducting material as the outer door B and for the saine purpose. A packing similar to the one before described is placed between the face of t-he door and the exposed edges of the safe-box and the door is hung and fastened similarly to the outer door to effect the same purpose.

The case containing the filling C, and also the safe-box D, is retained in its proper position in relation to the outer case either by stay-bolts as represented in the drawings or by any other method that will effect the same purpose.

F is an air-cell or space, formed between the inner sides of the outer casing and the outer sides of the casing containing the filling C,and G a similar space formed between the inner side of the last named case and the outside of the safe-box D which serves not only to make the safe buoyant in case it should be placed in the water, but alsoto increase its lire and heat resisting qualities through the confined air contained in them being a poor conductor of heat.

H is a loose or detachable bed or bottom piecehaving casters attached to each of its corners-in and on which the safe is placed and stood, and by which it may be moved or wheeled from its place when desired,

without being permanently attached to it casing-for the purpose of making the safe to increase its Weight and detract from its buoyancy.

By combining a filling of non-conducting material with spaces or cells to contain conined air and constructing mysafe in theI manner described, I am enabled to produce a safe that is not only proof against lire on shipboard, but which is also so buoyant, that in case of lire, Wreck or other disaster to the vessel it should be found expedient or necessary to cast the safe overboard it Will float upon the surface of the Water Without injury to the articles contained Within it.

The safe may be placed in any convenient Y Vposition in the vessel and setupon its detachable bottom so that it can be moved about if needed. In case of fire, Wreck or other disaster occurring to the vessel, the safe can be moved to the side of the vessel and cast overboard--the doors of it being at allptimes kept secured tightly to place (eX- cept when they require to be opened to put in or take out articles from it)in view of such possible event-leaving behind the detachable bottom, and a staff with a iiag or signal attached being placed in the socket -I to attract the attention and notice of passing vessels, it Will float securely and -safely until it is either picked up or floats into harbor. In case the disaster to the Vessel should 1. Combining a series of air-cells or spaces with a lling of non-conducting material in a safe having a door or doors closing Water tight to render the same sufficiently buoyant to float in the Water, and also.to resist the action of heat and prevent the heat communicating to the articles stored in the safe, in the manner set forth. y

2. The combination of the safe, construct ed and arranged as herein described, with l the loose bed or bottom piece H as, and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN T. GARLICK.

Witnesses:

SIDNEY Low, FRANCIS S'. LOW. 

